but i am going to call it as i see it. host: senator angus king, justin is on the phone, las vegas. caller: can you support earmarks as a way to get congressmen to talk to each other again? guest: earmarks and pork are in the same category. the idea of these tiny things going into a larger appropriations bill that nobody knows about or sees i do not think is a good idea. i think this process should be opened. there should be a justification for it. it should be part of an open process. the second part of your question, getting congressman to talk to each other is really important. one of the problems here -- i do not know if you're watching earlier, but i mentioned that i work here almost 40 years ago -- is relationships. one of the things that has changed is that the airline service is so much better, everyone goes home for the weekend. most senators' families are back home. the relationships are not built. that is one of the things that makes it hard to get anything done. i am convinced that this fiscal cliff negotiation that occurred over the weekend and was largely based on the